Matthew Pothen Thekaekara

Plot of Thekaekara Spectrum

Rev. Dr. Matthew Pothen Thekaekara (1914–1974) born into an eminent Syrian Catholic Christian family in Changanacherry, Kerala, India was a scientist and author of many books and papers relating to spectrophotometry and the solar constant ^[1] besides works on theology.^[2]

He was instrumental in publishing some of the earliest AM0 spectra, which is a model spectrum of the sun in space. The historic 1973 Thekaekara spectrum was the basis for ASTM E490^[3] (American Society for Testing and Materials Standard Solar Constant and Zero Air Mass Solar Spectral Irradiance Table) from 1974 to 2000, when it was replaced by the most recent AM0 upgrade, in ASTM E490-00.

Recent publications such as a 2007 paper authored by fellow Malayali scientist P. Shahmugan made extensive reference to the Thekaekara spectrum.^[4] In 2008 a paper by authors from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and UC Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics also made extensive application of the Thekaekara spectrum.^[5]

Books

1. The solar constant and the solar spectrum measured from a research aircraft, edited by Matthew P. Thekaekara. Solar energy. Spectrum, Solar. Aeronautics in astronomy.^[6]

2. Thoughts twice dyed : reprinted from the series of "One minute meditation" / by Matthew P. Thekaekara, S.J ^[7]

3."The Extraterrestrial Solar Spectrum" A.J Drummond and M.P. Thekaekara, Eds. Institute of Environmental Sciences, Mount Prospect Illinois, 1973.^[8]

References

1. ^ http://www.crescentmeadow.com/perma/biblio/solar_energy.html
2. ^ http://catalog.library.georgetown.edu/search/o?SEARCH=56123715
3. ^ http://www.astm.org/Standards/E490.htm
4. ^ Reference solar irradiance spectra and consequences of their disparities in remote sensing of the ocean colour http://www.ann-geophys.net/25/1235/2007/angeo-25-1235-2007.pdf
5. ^ Model Calculations of Solar Spectral Irradiance in the 3.7-�m Band for Earth Remote Sensing Applications http://modis-atmos.gsfc.nasa.gov/reference/docs/Platnick_&_Fontenla_(2008).pdf
6. ^ http://www.crescentmeadow.com/perma/biblio/solar_energy.html
7. ^ http://catalog.library.georgetown.edu/search/o?SEARCH=56123715
8. ^ http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/am0/special.html#Thekaekara

Sources

Matthew Thekaekara

• http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/am0/special.html#Thekaekara
• http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/spectra/am0/text/Thekaekara.txt

Persondata
Name	Thekaekara, Matthew Pothen
Alternative names
Short description	Chief Technical Consultant, Godard Space Research Station, NASA
Date of birth	Changanacherry, Kerala
Place of birth	23-11-1914
Date of death	25-11-1976
Place of death	Baltimore